What small wagon should I buy?

Ben needs an urban-friendly car with strong load-carting abilities.

STARTING PRICE

$33,724

BASIC SPEC

What small wagon should I buy?

15 Oct 2015Cameron McGavin

The dilemma

Ben and his wife are expecting their second child, so want to replace her Kia Rio with something more family-friendly. He drives a Toyota Hilux dual-cab ute, so they don't want an SUV. They just need something that is safe, has a big load space and works in the urban environment. They're looking at used mid-sized wagons like Ford's Mondeo, or could something smaller like a Holden Cruze work?

The budget

About $20,000

The shortlist

The Mondeo is too good not to be at least considered in the mid-size context but it does have some niggles.

Rival mid-sizers, meanwhile, even if they offer a solution to the Ford's issues, have different shortcomings that potentially make them less desirable an all-round sense.

So it's worth exploring the pluses and minuses of a smaller wagon and whether that might actually be a better option.

But we might do it something other than the Cruze, which has space and value on its side but not the all-round talents the be the standout choice in its class.

2009-15 Ford Mondeo wagon, from $6800*

Mazda's 6 looks sharper than this Ford and feels more upmarket inside. Subaru's Liberty has all-wheel-drive. Both avoid the quality niggles that can show up in their European foe.

But the Mondeo is roomier and has a bigger load space than both (542/1733 litres).

It's one of the very best mid-sizers of its era to drive and – with the exception of the occasionally overworked base four-cylinder petrol and thirsty turbo five-cylinder petrol – has competitive performance/economy credentials.

It allows you to buy into Ford's lifetime capped-price servicing regime, where the 6 and Liberty are only covered from 2012 and 2014 respectively (i.e. probably not in this budget range).

Significantly, it's better value on the used-car lot than those cars, even the odd small rival, too.

2012-on Hyundai i30 Tourer, from $13,600*

This Hyundai is smaller than the Mondeo, so it's easier to drive, park and its petrol/diesel drivetrains are thriftier. It'll be less of a culture shock coming from a Rio.

Obviously it's not as roomy inside but its key deficiency (back-seat space) might not be an issue in this small-child scenario. For sheer load-lugging ability, it's not far off with its 528/1642-litre capacities.

It has some shortcomings relative to the Ford on the road (it's able but lacks that car's poise and finesse) and under the bonnet (neither the petrol or diesel are paragons of driveability).

But it has a higher quality cabin ambience and offers reversing-camera availability. It's not only covered by a lifetime capped-price servicing regime but a five-year factory warranty (versus three years for the other cars here).

Skoda Fabia wagon, from $17,140

A light-sized wagon like this Skoda is probably a crazy suggestion but it can carry almost as much in five-seat mode as its bigger rivals here (505 litres).

And it has some key advantages. It's the only car of this group that can be bought new for this kind of money, has this group's only autonomous emergency braking system and the best economy from its petrol drivetrains.

The Skoda is this group's most agile, city-friendly drive and – while bereft of truly top-end luxuries – well equipped with tech, toys and safety gear. It feels classy, too.

The downsides are this group's smallest back seat and the least carrying capacity in two-seat mode (1370 litres), but these might not be fatal issues here.

More worrying is the cost of dual-clutch auto versions (from $21,440) and their occasional stutters in urban driving.

Skoda's capped-price servicing regime has the only expiry date of this group (six years/90,000km).

Drive recommends

Is the Skoda big enough? If it is, then it would probably win this contest but that question – plus its auto-pricing and servicing deficiencies – stop us from making an unequivocal recommendation.

The Ford, too, has winning qualities that are potentially overshadowed by a size question mark. It's a great family wagon but there are times when it can be too much of a great thing.

Which, not for the first time, leaves the i30 on top. It doesn't cater to extremes or niche sensibilities as well as its rivals but if you just need a car that be a family hauler in the urban domain with a minimum of hassle and expense, it's the obvious yardstick.

* Values are estimates provided by Glass's Guide based on an example averaging up to 20,000km per annum and in a well-maintained condition relevant to its age.